Car-retarder system



May a; 1930. w. K. HOWE 1,757,428

CAR RETARDER SYSTEM Filed Nov. 21, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet l Inven't-or May 6, 1930. w. K. HOWE GAR RETARDER SYSTEM Filed Nov 21, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 11141 1 I r l m X? M May 6, 1930.

W. K. HOWE CAR RETARDER SYSTEM Filed Nov. 21, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet mm m v 4 nwh Q w gmjcmoz' m a Mo: max;

May 6, 1930. wHK. HOWE CAR RETARDER SYSTEM Filed Nov. 21 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet INVE TOR. Z7. 7:

ATTORNEY May 6, 1930. w. K. HOWE 1,757,428

CAR RETARDER SYSTEI Filed Nov. 21, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGIB r IGO- ;4 I O o O 0 I55 19+ 154 l6! I8 I93 I88 b 195 136 3 I93 7 a lea" 1'76 a 158 O m N m 9 I64 0' no i 4 O "as a \II 165 I L3 o 2 )l8 202 O E L lss w. finwi a2,

W. K. HOWE May 6,1930.

CAR RETARDER SYSTEM 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 21

za W M.

l atented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINTHROP K. HOWE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK GAR-RETARDEB SYSTEM Application filed November 21, 1925. Serial No. 70,599.

This invention relates to railway car braking apparatus, and more particularly to *braking apparatus of the type iocated along the track ans adapted to retard passing railway cars by frictional engagement of the sides of the car wheels with spring pressed brake shoes, and preferably called a car retarder or track brake hereinafter.

In the employment of track brakes of the s type wherein brake shoes engage the sides of the wheels of the passing car by spring pressure, it has been experienced that car wheels often raise up off of the rail and in some cases rise to an extent to cause the wheel to ride entirely on top ofthe brake shoes. Several theories may be advanced as to why this happens, such as burrs on the car wheels, a higher brake pressure near the front of a wheel than near the rear of the wheel, and the difiiculty may be partially remedied by having the maximum brake shoe pressure low enough to avoid such lifting. In other words, it is found in practice that the car wheels tend to ride out at those points in 2 their passage through the retarder where the brake shoe pressure is the highest, and since it is desired to maintain the brake shoe pressure as high as possible in order to obtain as much braking as possible, it appears desirable to maintain the brake shoe pressure as uniform as possible at all points of travel of a car Wheel through the retarder. One of the essential objects and features of the present invention resides in the construction of 33 brake shoes and the means for applying pressure thereto which allows a substantially uniform brake shoe pressure for all positions of a car wheel, and resides in the provision of means for'mechanically connecting the ad- 48 joining ends of adjacent brake shoe beams by an articulated connection which permits pivotal movement between the ends of such brake shoe beams but does not permit transverse movement of one with respect to the other.

As a further object of the present invention, it is contemplated to provide remote control power operated means for controlling the retarder so as to permit various brake shoe pressures to be obtained, and to enable such as to constitute a the application of the maximum brake shoe pressure which may be safely applied to a particular car and prevent its climbing out between the brake shoes, this pressure of course depending on the weight of the car; it being understood that a heavier car may be braked more severely without danger of its climbing out between the brake shoes. As a further object of the present invention, it is proposed to construct a track brake designed primarily to be applied to both rails of a railway track, but which is so designed that by the omission of certain readily attachable parts, it may be applied to a single rail, and which may be applied to tracks of different gauge or spacing between the rails bymaking slight changes in the dimension of certain links, the whole structure being flexible and jointed structure which permits yielding where necessary, due to the passage of heavy cars, and which will take care of irregular or un-uniform settling of the ballast beneath the ties, and the like. As a further object of the present invention, it is proposed to employ a remote controlled power operated means for setting the track brakes, which is automatically stopped when the retarder has been operated to the proper position and which is locked in the last position in which it has been placed by this operating means, even though the power should fail; and to construct a retarder in which all of the various worn out or broken parts may be easily replaced, the various parts being so constructed that many of them may be interchangeably used in different parts of the same retarder, and so that they may be readily assembled during installation.

Also,the retarder embodying the present invention is constructed so as to reduce the friction between the moving parts to a minimum, thus increasing the efiiciency and decreasing cost of operation, the various parts are constructed and correlated to afford proper lubrication; means are provided for adjusting theinitial or minimum spring pressure that may be applied for braking purposes when the retarder is in a braking position; adjustment of the maximum spacing between brake shoes is provided; means are provided for adjustment of an automatic cut-out device which stops the power operated means when the brake shoes have reached a predetermined position, so that the various braking positions may be changed at will; and the various parts are constructed so as to permit the maximum amount of surface on a car wheel to be used for brake shoe engaging purposes and at the same time to leave the necessary clearance for the column bolts which join the truck frame to the journal boxes of freight cars, or other projecting parts.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the invention will be obvious from the drawings, and in part will appear as the description thereof progresses.

in describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawingsin which:.

Fig. 1 shows a plan View of a car retarder. embodying the four braking positions and an-oif position, and which is illustrated in the third braking position, one end of the retarder having been shown broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; V

Fig. 2A is an enlarged View of one of the arms 12 showing how the girder beams 17 and 18 are connected thereto;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the retarder taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1, and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section 5 of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

F 7 is a vertical section taken through the crank arm and on the line 7-7, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is avertical section taken through a brake shoe beam and on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8,; I

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the mechanism casing shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the cover removed and with a portion of the inner casing and the pivotal pitman rod housing broken away;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11 and viewed in the directon of the arrows;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the automatic cutout circuit controller casing with the cover removed and portions of the main casing and the mechanism therein broken away;

Fig. 14 is a vertical section taken on the line 1414 of Fig. 13 and viewed in .the direction of the arrows;

taken on the line resent invention havin P illustrated.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the operating panel showing a manually controllable lever for controlling the retarder and a pilot light for indicating when the retarder has responded to such control;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the lever and the circuit controller associated therewith through the medium of which, in connection with the cut-out circuit controller shown in the position of the retarder Figs. 13 and 14, may be determined;

Fig. 17 is a sectional elevation of the lever taken on the line 1717 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of the circuit controller contactorof the lever, taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 16; and

Fig. 19 shows the circuit arrangement whereby the controller and the cut-out device, in combination with relays and contac'tors are adapted to cause the retarder and its brake shoes'to assume any one of. a number of positions, each of which to correspond to a position which the lever assumes at the time.

Since the specific embodiment of the inven tion illustrated constitutes a retarder which may or may not be normally in its oif position, the apparatus has been shown in the third braking position of the five positions which the apparatus may assume, it being considered preferable to show the retarder in an intermediate position rather than in one or the other extremepositions, this being especially advantageous in connection with the study of the circuit diagram shown in Fig. 19.

Referring to ig. 1. a portion of a railway track comprising rails 1' secured to ties 2 throughthe medium of guide blocks 3, more particularly shown in Figs. 3 and 8, has been The various ties 2 are fastened together by an angle bar 4 extending along one end of the ties, and bars of strap iron and 6 extending along an intermediate point and the other end of the ties respectively, these bars or straps being fastened to the ties by screws 7 as shown. Parallel to the angle bar 4 and spaced a suitable dis tance above the same, is a bearing piece 10 which, in connection with the angle bar 4, forms journals for pins 11 of the various double angle levers 12, these angle levers being pivotall supported on the pins 11 and through the medium of pins 13 and 14 are adapted to move the girder beamsl'? and18 in opposite directions as the double angle levers are moved in a certain direction. These girder beams 17 and 18 are of identical construction, and each includes an upper and sidewardly projecting apertured lug 1'7 and 18 and in the construction illustrated, are arranged so that these lugs are on opposite ends of the parallelly arranged girders 17 and 18. Referring to Fig. 3, the right hand ends of the girder beams 17 and 18 rest on the strap 5 and are held against transverse movement by a U-shaped girder beam guide 20 (see Fig. 5). This girder beam guide is of such width that it may ac commodate the free ends of girder beams 21 and 22 which extend underneath the other rail 1 of the trackway, the opposite ends of the girder beams 21 and 22 being supported in the girder beam guide 23 bolted to the strap 6 (see Fig. 6). It should be noted that the right hand ends of girder beams 21 and 22 are spaced apart in the girder beam guide 23 by a roller 24 pivoted on the rivet 25, (see Fig. 6) and that the girder beams 17 and 18 are operatively connected to the girder beams 21 and 22 by links 28 and 29 respectively.

From the construction thus far described, it appears that if the double angle lever 12 (see Fig. 1) is moved upwardly. that the lugs 17 and 21 move toward theeleft and the lugs 18 and 22 move toward the right; in other words, the lugs projecting from adjacent girder beams move toward each other as the double angle lever is moved to a higher braking position. Since the various groups of angle levers and associated mechanisms are the same, they may be assigned like reference characters having distinctive exponents. Ihe various double angle levers 12 are connected together by a main operating beam 30 through the medium of bolts 31 (see Figs. 1 and 3). Referring to Figs. 3 and 8, it will be noted that the guide blocks 3 on opposite sides of the rail 1 are of identical construction and that they provide anchoring means for anchoring the rail and provide hook-shaped slots forming hooks 3 in which the hook 33 projecting from the shoebeam 33 is adapted to slide, thus forming a slidable engagement between the shoe beams 33 and the guide blocks 3, and thus permitting independent lateral movement of the shoe beams 33 on opposite sides of the rail, but not permitting rolling movement of these shoe beams 33. In this connection an adjoining pair of these blocks 3 may be cast integral, if desired, in which event they will be passed over the end of the rail during assembling.

It should be noted that one shoe beam 33 is provided for every two double angle levers 12 and that one end of these shoe beams when taken with its shoe is provided with a ver tically disposed slot 33 into which the adjoining end of another shoe beam having a projecting tongue 33 which snugly fits this slot, is adapted to engage; in other words, each shoe beam with its shoe has a vertical slot on one end and a vertically disposed tongue on the other and the tongue of each shoe beam engages the slot of its adjoining shoe beam. This articulates the connection between adjacent shoe beams thus affording what may be said to be a continuous flexible braking surface. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that a spring guide 35 is connected pivotally by a pin 36 between flanges projecting from the shoe beam 33 and that the free end of this spring guide 35 extends through the perforation of a lug projecting from one of the girder beams, such, for instance, as the lug 18 projecting from the girder beam 18 shown in Fig. 3. This spring guide 35 is threaded at its free end and carries a nut 37 and a lock nut 38 whereby the spacing between the shoe beams for any particular retarder position may be determined. On this spring guide 35 is carried an initially tonsioned coil spring 40, the initial tension of which may be adjusted by the initial tension variable spacer comprising the threaded bushing 41 and the nut 42 threaded thereon. It readily appears that the minimum or initial tension to which the spring 40 is compressed is determined by this spacing bushing 41 and nut 42 after the nuts 37 and 38 have once been adjusted; so that not only can the spacing between the brake shoe beams 33 be fixed, but the initial or minimum tension of the spring 40 may be adjusted to any desired value.

For reasons obvious to those skilled in the art of braking, a certain amount of wear on the brake shoes is experienced in consequence of which it is necessary to replace brake shoes from time to time, and for this reason the brake shoes 45, two in number in the particular embodiment shown, are detachably secured to each of the brake shoe beams 33. In the particular construction shown; referring to Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the brake shoe 45 is provided with a steel insert 46, which insert is placed in the mould and cast integral with the shoe 45. In order to effect a substantial connection between the brake shoe 45 and its steel insert 46, this insert 46 is perforated as shown at 47, so that the molten iron will flow into these perforations, and upon cooling and contraction, it will firmly connect the insert to the brake shoe. By looking at Fig. 1 it will be noted that the brake shoes 45 are ar ranged end to end in a manner so that endwise movement of a single shoe is permitted only to a very slight extent, and that very little clearance between the shoe beam 33 and the rail 1 is present so that special se curing means is necessary to hold the shoe 45 in position in a manner so that any one of the brake shoes may be removed separately without removing adjoining brake shoes. In the particular embodiment illustrated, this is accomplished by having the insert 46 provided with elongated longitudinally arranged slots 48, each slot of which is adapted to allow the T-shaped head 49 of the bolt 50 to pass therethrough, a cavity of sufiicient size being left in casting of the brake shoe 45 to allow this T-shaped head 49 to be turned through an angle of 90, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The main portion of the bolt 50 is circular in cross-section, but a small portion of this bolt adjacent the head 49 is square, and this square portion of the bolt, fits in so as to hold the bolt from turning as its nut 51is tightened. From this construction it will readily appear that if the nut 51 is loosened and backed off, the bolt 50 may be pushed inward until the square portion thereof has passed out of the square opening in the shoe beam 33, whereupon the bolt 50 maybe turned through an angle of 90 and the brake shoe may be slippedofl by allowing the T-shaped head to pass through the slot i8. To facilitate turning of the bolt 50, a transverse hole is preferably drilled near its outer end to receive a suitable pin 52 (see Fig. 10) or other tool, by means of which the bolt can be easily turne Referring to F igs, 1 and 7, there is pivotally secured between the angle bar 4 and the top bearing piece 10, a crank arm 60 comprising' two parallelly arranged members spaced by washer 61 and pivoted about a bushing 62 held in place by the bolt 63. This crank arm 60 has a connecting link 61 pivotally secured therein by a bolt 65, the free end of the link 64 being pivotally connected to the plates 66 bv' a pin 67, these plates 66 being bolted to the main operating bar or beam 30 by bolts 70. By this arrangement, additional leverage is afforded between the pitman rod and the main operating beam 30, this pitman rod 75 being pivotally connected to crank arm 60 by journal pin 7 5 and being reciprocated to the proper position by suitable means located in the mechanism casing 76 presently to be described.

The mechanism casing 76 (see Figs. 11 and 12) is provided with a cover 77, hinged or otherwise secured thereto in any suitable manner, and is formed with a bottom wall 7 6 of cast steel or cast iron, as desired, of any suitable shape or as shown in 12 of the drawings, one of the ties 2 being cut short to allow space for theprojecting portion of this bottom wall 76. This bottom wall 76 constitutes the bottom of the main casing 76 and also the bottom of a gear housing having a removable top wall 76 This gear housing 76*76 is provided with the necessary journals and journal linings to provide pivotal supports for the spindle 7 9 of the main crank gear 80, another spindle carrying the pinion 81 and spur gear 82, and the tooth shaft 83 having a bevel gear 84 secured thereon which gear is in meshed relation with the bevel pinion 84 secured on the stubshaft 85. This stub shaft 85 is connected by a universal connection 89 to the shaft 88 of a motor 90 (see Fig.1) from which it readily appears that rotation of the motor shaft 88 through a chain of reduction gears, causes the main gear 80 to be rotated at a much reduced speed.

a square opening in the shoe beam 33,.

anism contained in the mechanism This main gear 80 has cast integral therewith a semi-circular plate 80 which is connected to the gear 80 by a web 80*. A crank pin 91 pivotally connects the pitman rod 75 to the main gear 80, this pin 91 being contained in an opening extending through the main gear 80 and the semi-circular portion 80*, thus providing a bifurcated gear portion in the bifurcation of which the pitman rod 7 5 is pivotally connected.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference characters P P P P and P denote the five positions which the retarder may assume, the corresponding positions of the crank pin 81 being similarly indicated by reference characters P", P P P and P In order to pro vide adequate lubrication for the gear mechcasing 76"76 a combination oil feeder pipe and overflow pipe v93 has been illustrated. This pipe 93 permits lubricant to be added from time to time, as required, but prevents the oil or lubricant in the mechanism casing from being raised above a predetermined level, which in the arrangement shown, is the top edge of the pinion 81.

in order to provide a moisture tight housing for the slot shaped opening through which the pitman rod 75 extends, a pitman rod housing 95 having a vertically disposed journal 96 in one end thereof is employed, the ournal 96 being pivotally secured for rotation about a vertical axis in -a bearing formed in the pitman rod housing and having a circular opening of a diameter to -10- a commodate the pitman rod 75 extending crosswise therethrough, so that the pit-man rod 75 may slide endwise through the journal 96 and may also move in a horizontal plane, such movement being nal 96. This pitman rod housing 95 has its enlarged end pivotally secured to the flange 99 by a cap screw 97, and has its enlarged end provided with a gasket 98 which forms a sub stantially moisture tight connection between the enlarged end of the housing 95 and the curved flange 99 bolted to the end of the mechanlsm casing.

It has heretofore been mentioned that a suitable cutout circuit controller is preferably used for cutting all current off of the motor when the retarder has assumed a position corresponding to that of the lever at the tower for operating the motor 90. In the particular construction shown, this cut-outv circuit controller is mounted in a circuit controller casing 110, contained on top of the cover 76'. This casing has a shaft 111 therein which shaft, through the medium of pinions 112 and 113, is connected to the shaft 11 which latter shaft in turn through the bevel gears 115 and 116 is operatively con nectedto the main spindle 79, on which main spindle the main gear 80 is keyed as shown. The casing 110 is provided with a cover 120 permitted by the jour- L which in combination with the gasket 121, comprises a moisture tight enclosure.

Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, to the shaft 111 are keyed a plurality of collars 122, each of which is provided with a projecting hub 122. On this hub 122 is a cam 123 pinned to the collar 122 by a pin 124, a plurality of closely and concentrically arranged holes being provided so that the cam 123 may be fixed in various adjusted positions about the axis of the shaft 111. The cam 123 is shaped to form a low cam portion 123 a medium cam portion 123 and a high cam portion 123. The pin 124 projects out of the forward side of the cam 123 so as to form an anchor for another cam 125 having a circumferential cam portion which is concentric with the high cam portion 123. The cam125 has a plurality of closely spaced holes circumferentially aligned, any one of which holes is adapted to receive the pin 124, so that the effective length of the high cam portion formed by the cam portion 123 and cam 125 may be varied. Referring to Fig. 14, each of the cams 123-125 is adapted to engage a roller 128 of insulating material pivotally supported in a U-shaped piece 129 riveted to an arm 130, this roller being used to operate a movable contact as conventionally shown in Fig. 19. In the specific arrangement shown, this arm 130 is pivoted by a pin 131 on the support 132 and is spring pressed toward the left by a compression spring 133 contained under the head of the rivet 135 riveted in the upstanding portion 132 of the support 132, this support 132 being fastened in an insulating base 137. On this insulating base 137 are also supported two spring pressed stationary contact fingers 138 and 139 constructed and spring pressed in a manner similar to the arm 130. The stationary contacts 138 and 139 have adjustably secured to the ends thereof, contact buttons, eachof which include a contact button of highly refractive material, such as carbon or the like, which for convenience have been designated 140 and 141 Between the stationary contacts 138 and 139, is. pivotally supported a movable contact 142 which is pivoted on the base 143 of conducting material by pin 144 and is adapted to be operated by the arm 130 through the medium of a link 145. The free end of this movable contact 142 carries a double metallic contact 146 of material having a rather high fusing point such as tungsten, one of the alloys thereof, platinum, or the like. The various parts are so proportioned that the contacts 140 and 146 are in engagement when the roller 128 assumes a position on the low cam portion 123, the contact 146 assumes the right hand position in which it contacts with the button 141 when the roller 128 rides on the high cam portions 123125, and the movable contact 146 assumes a neutral position when the roller 128 is on the medium cam portion at 123 or is at an equivalent position. In other words, the application of current to the motor 90 through the medium of a circuit including movable contact arm 142 causes the motor to be stopped if the motor operates the retarder to a position to place the contact arm 142 in its neutral or central position. The exact shapes and adjustment for the various cams shown in Fig. 13, for one particular embodiment of the invention, have been shown in a circuit diagram in Fig. 19.

As heretofore mentioned means is provided for causing the retarder to assume a position corresponding to that of the position of its control lever, and from this it appears that a control lever must be provided that has at at least five positions. In Figs. 15 to 18 inclusive has been shown one embodiment of a control lever for operating a retarder of the construction heretofore described. This control lever essentially comprises two separate controllers, one of which is operated by movement of the handle 150, about a pivot formed by the belt 151, and the other of which is operated by pressing the push button 152 projecting from the end of the handle 150. Referring to Fig. 17, it will be noted that the push button 152 is held in its raised position by compression coil spring 153 and that if the push button 152 is depressed, it will operate the contact 154 secured to but insulated from the arm 155 pivotally supported on a pin 156 through the medium of a connecting link 157, which link affords a non-binding operative connection between the slidable push button rod 152 and the pivotally supported arm 155, the link 157 being connected by pins such as the pins 158 and 159 shown. The contact 154 is adapted to bridge a pair of contacts 160 as shown in Fig. 16.

The main circuit controller portion of this lever consists of the angle arm 165 having its one end provided with an arcuate toothed portion 165 and having secured to its other end an insulating block 166 fastened thereto by bolts 167. Pivotally secured to a stationary pin 170, is a pawl 171 having a roller 172 secured to one end thereof by a threaded journal pin 173, this pawl having its roller 172 wedged in between the teeth of the toothed portion 165 by a spring 174 contained on a spring guide 175, which guide may be adjusted and locked in place by lock nut 176, so that the force whereby the roller 172 is wedged between the teeth may be varied at will. To the insulated portion 166 fastened to the other end of the angle arm 165 is secured a small metallic channel 180 in which are contained the contacts 181 elec trically connected together by the strap 182 and outwardly pressed by a compression spring 183 guided about the guide pin 184, which guide pin is limited as to its inward movement by pin 185. One of the contact buttons 181 is adapted to contact with an areuate sector 186 supported by insulating bushings 187. Suitably supported by an insulating block 190 are a plurality of contact fingers designated L L L L L and L corresponding to the positions P P P P and P of the retarder. The contact L is provided to afford an energy or current off position to which the lever may be moved in case the motor is overloaded. In case the sures that the contacts 181 ment with at least one and not more than operator notices that the motor is stalled for any reason he may move the leverquickly to the position If, whereby the energy is out off of the motor brakes even to the slightest extent. It is apparent that the spring pressed pawl 173 aswill be in engageone of the various contacts L.

The lever 150 is connected to the angle arm 165 through a yieldable connection, this in order to prevent a lever 150 from being moved to and stopped in a position wherein the con 'tact buttons 181 complete a circuit to more the angle arm 165.

than one of the contacts L. In

the particular arrangement shown,

there is pivotally supported on the spindle 164 which pivotally supports the angle arm 165, a crank arm 193 which has its free end connected by a link 194 to the lower end of lever 150 medium of pins 188 and 189. This crank arm 193 has outwardly projecting legs 193 extending therefrom which terminated in forwardly projecting lugs 193 compression springs 195 being provided between the lugs 193 and a projecting arm 196 integral with The projecting arm 196 is bifurcated as shown to afford clearance for guide pins 198 threaded into the forwardly projecting lugs 193 and locked by lock nuts 197, these. guide pins forming guides for the springs 195. It readily appears that the angle arm 165may be moved about its spindle 164 by the lever 150 through the medium of the compression springs 195 only, and that by reason of the provision of the spring pressed pawl 171, gradual movement of the lever 150 from one extreme position to the other, causes the contacts 181 to move along from one to the other ofthe various contacts L in intermittent step-like fashion.

Suitably secured in the control cabinet in the same plane as is the circuit controller is a relay comprising a core 200 having winding 201 thereon, the magnetic circuit through the helix of the winding 201 being completed by the core 200, the back yoke 202, and the armature 203, whereby energization of the coil 201 causes the attraction of the armature 203 until it engages the residual pin 204, this movement of the armature bringing the contiilcts 205 and 206 into contacting relations 1p Referring to Fig. 19 which shows the complete wiring arrangement for a retarder and its control mechanism embodying the present without releasing the track through the.

invention, the motor 90 is preferably one of the compound wound type, having a shunt field winding 210 and a series field winding 211, the latter being connected in series with a brake magnet winding 212, the armature 216 and the commutating field winding 213 of the motor. As indicated, the shunt winding 210 is always energized, whereas the series winding 211 and the commutating winding 213 are energized only while the motor armature is energized either because current applied thereto or because of current flow due to regenerative braking. The brake magnet coil 212 acts magnetically on the brake 214 to release the brake while current is being applied to the motor. For the purpose of controlling the motor 90 by the manually operable lever 150 and the automatic cutoutcircuit controller contained in casing 110, two double throw electro-magnetioally operated contacts R and F and a relay H are required. The forward operating contactor F is in its abnormal active position when the retarder is to be moved to a closed or increased braking position, and the reverse contactor R is energized to its abnormal position when the car retarder is to be moved toward the open or reduced braking position. The forward contactor F is operated to its abnormal position as represented by the dotted lines it the coil F is energized, at which time the contact 217 is opened and the contacts 218 and 219 are closed, whereas if the coil R is. energized, contactor R is operated to its abnormal dotted position and the contact 220 is opened, and the contacts 221 and 222 are closed. The magnet windings R and F 2 are connected in multiple and directly across the armature of the motor 90, and the energization of these coils. aids the springs 223 or 224 in returning the particular contactor to its normal position after the winding R or F as the case may be, is again de-energized, after having been energized. In other words, while either the contactor R or the contactor F is moved to its abnormal dotted position, its corresponding coil R or F is not energized and therefore the magnetic attraction due to energization of R or 1 need only be sui'licient to operate the contacts in opposition to the force of the springs 223 or 224; whereas upon the de-energization of one or the other of the coils R or F after having been energized causes the springs 224 or 223, together with the magnetic force due to the energization of the coils R or F to return the contactor to its normal position.

In other words, the armature 216 of the motor 90 is presumably not energized at the time the retarder is to have its adjusted po sition changed, so that the coils R and F 2 are both dead, so to speak, when one or the other of coils R and F are energized and the energization of coil R or F need only overlit come the force of its corresponding spring 22 1 or 223. On the other hand. the application of current to the motor 90 causes a counter electro motive force to be generated therein which, applies current to coils R and F so that the de-energization of the coil R or F whichever was energized at the time. causes both the energized coil R or F together with its corresponding spring 224 or 223 to return the contacts to normal, thus causing a very quick break of the circuit, blowout coils being preferably used to aid in disrupting the are upon opening of these contacts.

In order to permit the operator to accelerate the motor or increase its torque he may shunt certain resistance units connected in series therewith, the arrangement being such however that these resistance units cannot be shunted until an interval of time after current has been applied to the motor through such resistance units. In other words, current is applied to the motor in two steps, the time spacing between these steps being con trolla-ble by the operator or if desired these resistance units need not be shunted atall. In the particular construction shown, the relay H is used for this purpose, and this relay may be energized to shunt such resistance units if both the push button 152 is depressed and one or the other of the contact-01 s R- or F in its active position.

Operatiom-Let us assume that the operator in the tower wishes to operate a retarder, located at some distant point, and that he wishes to move it from the third to the fourth or maximum braking position. in order to do so, the operator pulls the lever 150toward the right until only the indication P (see Fig. 15) is visible. A movement of the lever 150 toward the right causes the right hand spring 195 to be compressed and thereby causes the loading of this spring to suds denly move the angle armv 165 to the next counter-clockwise position; namely, the potion where contact 181 engages the stationary contact L As soon as this occurs, a circuitis completed for the forward contactor F which may be traced as f0ll0Ws:-Beginning at suitable source of energy such as a battery having a terminal B, wire 230, winding 201, wire 231, segment 186, movable contacts 181, stationary contact L wire 232, movable contact 1 12 stationary contact 138 wire 233, winding F of the contactor F through wire 23%, to common return wire G connected to the other terminal of said source of energy. With this circuit compietul, the contactor F is operated and the following motor energizing circuit, which operates the retarder toward the closing position, is closed :Beginning at the terminal B of a suitable source of energy, wires 236 and 237, contact 218, wire 238, armature 216 of the motor 90, commutating winding 213 of this motor, wire 239,

.wire 242, connected to contact 220, resistance units 240 and 241, series field winding 211, brake winding 212 to the common return wire C, which is connected to the other side of said source of energy. With this circuit completed, the motor is operated to close up the retarder until it assumes the position P in Figs. 1 and 11 of the drawings, and when the retarder has reached this position, the various cams C will have moved in the counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrows (see Fig. 19) to a position where the contact 142 is in its intermediate non-contacting position, this extent of operation of the retarder having moved the contact 142 to its left hand position connecting this contact 1 12 to the wire leading to the contactor E. This movement of the contact 142 to the neutral position causes the energizing circuit for coil F to be broken thus causing contacts 218 and 219 to open and contact 217 to close so as to complete a snubbing circuit more particularly described hereinafter. With the retarder in this, its fourth or maximum braking position, it is suitable for braking very heavy cars, it being understood that the operator will have a train weight sheet to inform him as to whether he is braking a heavy or a light car, so that he may position his retarder accordingly, this to effect as much braking as necessarywithout increasing the pressure of the brake shoes to a value at which the wheels will tend to climb out, so to speak. It should be noted that the energizing current for the coils R and F flows through the winding 201 of the pilot light relay and that this current is sufficient to eifect closure of the contacts 205 and 206, so that the pilot light 161 is lighted so long as current is applied to one or the other of the contactors R or F. By means of the illumination of this light, the operator is informed as to the response of the motor to changes in the position of the lever.

Let us assume now that the operator moves the lever 150 to the 1 position, in which position the contact 181 will engage the contact L". Under this condition of the appa ratus, the following energizing circuit for the winding R is completed: Begiiniinp' at the terminals B of a suitable source of energy, wire 230, relay winding 201, wire 231, con tact segment 186, movable contacts 181, stationary contact L", wire 21%, movable con tact 1&2 operated by the cam C stationary contact 139, wire 245, winding R of the contactor R, wire 24-6 to common return wire G to connect the other side of said source of energy. The energization of the winding R closes the contacts 221 and and thereby causes the motor to be energized through a circuit which causes the motor to operate in the reverse direction, which circuit may be traced as follows :--Beginning at the terminal B of a suitable source of energy, wires and 241, 21-2, wire 242 to common return wire this circuit completed, the mot- 286 and 248, contact 221 of the contactor R, wire 239, commutating winding 213, armature of the motor 90, wire 238, contact the forward contact-or F, resistance uni series winding 211, brake winding C con nected to the other side of said source. With operates in the reverse direction, thus causing the retarder to be opened, and causing the various cams C to be turned in a clock-wise direction and during such rotation, which causes the various contacts 142 142 142 to be successively moved from their left-hand to their right-hand position, the contact 142 assuming the neutral position in which it cuts current off of the reversing coil R and causes the contactor R to assume its normal )osition. Upon de-energization of the winding R the counter electro-motive force generated in the armature of the motor 90, which is applied across the winding R causes this winding R in combination with the force of spring 224 to return the contactor R to its normal position, thus effecting a quick break in the motor circuit. With both the contactor R and the contactor F in their normal positions, the shunt field winding 210 energized, and the motor armature operated by inertia, a dynamic braking circuit in which current flows is established which circuit may be traced as follows :Beginning at the armature of the motor 90, commutating vs inding 213, wire 239, contact 220, resistance units 240 and 249, contact 217, wire 238, back to the armature of motor 90. The flow of current in this dynamic braking circuit causes the motor to be stopped very quickly, especially bearing in mind that the brake magnet 212 is de-energized and the spring 215 causes the friction brake 214 to be active also. It is desired to point out at this time, that the signal lamp or pilot light 161 as she ii underneath the small bulls eye 162 in Fig. 16 of the drawings, is illuminated whenever the magnet winding 201 is energized, the energizing circuit for the lamp 161 being shown on Fig. 19 of the drawings and is readily traced without further explanation.

Referring to Fig. 19, it would at first hand appear that the contacts 219 and 222 are entirely unnecessary, because depression of the push-button 152 by itself could not apply current to the motor 90, because energization of the relay H merely effect-s shunting of the resistances 240 and 241 in series. and if no current were applied to the mot-or by contacts 218 or 221, as the casemay be, the shunting of these resistances 240 and 241 would have no elfect. As a matter of fact, however, the coir tacts 218 and 222 have a very important func tion in that the closure of either of these con tacts necessarily occurs at the time or just after the windings F or R are energized, and by reason of the time required for the relay H to close its shunting contact 243, the resistances 240 and 241 are not shunted out until the motor has started, so that the function of the relay H, especially bearing in mind the time required for it to close its contact, is to effect the application of current to the motor 90 in two successive stews, the first step of which includes these l'QST LFiCGS and the second step of which does A t 'nclude these resistances.' The contacts 219 and 222 have still another function in that the particular one which is in its active position will open as soon as the energizing circuit for the corresponding contactor is tie-energized by the cut-out circuit controller. This latter function assures the presence 01 resistances 240 and 249 in the regenerative circuit heretofore traced while the motor 90 is being dynamically braked. It is also desired to point out that the mechanical friction brake 214 is active so long as current is not applied to the motor 90 from an external source. This friction brake 214, therefore, also serves to quickly stop the motor and further serves to hold the motor in any one of its adjusted positions in spite of the counter-forces acting upon this motor through the gearing upon the passage of a car through the retarder. The present retarder-thus is held in the last position to which it has been operated, r gardless of whether the energizing circuit for the motor was interrupted by reason of the motor having completed its operating function or because the source of energy has failed.

In connection with the articulated connection between adjoining brake shoe beams of the retarder embodying the present invention, it is desired to state that a much higher braking effect has been obtained with this construction than with retarders of earlier construction which do not include such: articulated connection. This increase in the retarding efiect without derailment of the car, is accounted for by the fact that the average braking pressure applied to the various car wheels is much higher as compared with the maximum pressure applied to any point; it is of course being understood that it is the maximum shoe pressure which effects climbing out of the wheels from between the brake shoes, whereas the average brake pressure is the pressure which determines the amount of braking, actually effected, and in the present arrangement the average pressure practically approaches the maximum pressure. Also, sincethe brake shoe beams in the present construction are moved horizontally slidably rather than pivotally, the brake shoes always present a substantially perpendicular braking surface to the car wheels. This not only increases the contact area of the brake shoes but also reduces the tendency for a car wheel to climb out, so to speak. In the present rctarder, the

four girder beams17, 18, 21, and 22, are of identical construction,although they areused in four difierent parts of the car retarder, this having been done for the purpose of having a single beam serve as a repair part adapted to replace a beam located in any one of these four different locations. Also, by this construction, the beams are jointed by links, such as the links 28 and 29, whereby it is possible if links of different lengths are used, to apply the same car retarder to railway tracks having different gauges or to tracks of which one rail is a spur track and therefore is disposed at an angle to the other rail. In other words, the car retarder embodying the present invention as illustrated may be applied to various track conditions encountered in practice.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that a portion of the brake shoe beams and the brake shoes themselves extend a little above the rest of the retarder equipment. This construction is used to allow as large an area of brake shoe surface to be used as possible and at the same time allowthe necessary clearance for the column bolts which secure the end frames of car trucks to the journal housing,

the retarder mechanism as shown also clean ing the hoppers of dump cars when in their lower positions. Also, this construction, while providing the necessary clearance, causes the center of the area of contact between the brake shoes and the wheel on each side of the vertical line through the axle to be higher and also farther away from this vertical line, thereby exerting the average retarding force through a greater lever arm. By maintaining the brake shoes substantially perpendicular, this average pressure may be thus increased without so materially tending to increase the tendency of the car to lift out 7 of the brake shoes.

Applicant has thus disclosed the construction of a retarder or track brake which is extremely flexible in its operation, is controllable from a distant point, is constructed to permit the pressure applied to the brake shoes to be varied in accordance with the kind of car to be braked, namely light or heavy, provides readily replaceable brake shoes secured to shoe beams which have their adjoining ends interconnected or articulated, so that the pressure applied to a car wheel is practically the same whether the car wieel is near the end or at some intermediate point along a shoe beam, in which the shoe beams and brake shoes are moved horizontally, rather than about a pivot by suitable power operated means; in which means are provided for adjusting the distance between brake shoes for the various steps to which the retarder may be operated and for changing both of'the extreme positions of the retarder to fit conditions encountered in practice, as well as for making other adjustments such as initial tension of the .main braking springs 40, or the like. Further, applicants car retarder or track brake construction is such that many of the parts may be interchangeably used which enables quantity production of such parts and reeuces the number of repair parts which must be lrept in stock.

In describing the invention, attention has been directed to one specific embodiment thereof, without attempting to point out the various alternative or optional features of construction, or the different organizations or combinations that may be employed. The relay 201 and the lamp 161 are shown and described, because they can be advantageously employed to give information to the operator, in general, indicating to him when the retarder has properly responded to the control manually initiated; but this is optional and can be omitted without detracting from the operation and function of the mechanism. In short, it should be understood that the par ticular construction illustrated has been shown for the purpose of explaining the nature of the invention and discussing its various advantageous features, and that various changes and modifications may be made to adapt the invention to the varying conditions that may be encountered in practice, all without departing from the scope of the invention or the idea of means underlying the same.

lVhat I claim as new is 1. In a car retarder of the type engaging the sides of the wheels of passing cars, the combination with a plurality of bralre shoes arranged end to end along the tracl: so as to engage the side of a passing car wheel, spring pressed means for pressing the shoes toward sucri wheel, and means for nonrigidly connecting the abutting ends of the bralre shoes together.

2. In a car rctarder of the type engaging the sides of the wheels of passing cars, the combination with a plurality of brake shoes arranged end to end along the track so as to engage the side of passing car wheel, spring Zl'GSSQCl ll'lBLlIlS for pressing the shoes toward. such wheel, and means for articulately connecting the abutting ends of adjace t bralrc shoes together.

3. in a car retarder of the type engaging the sic es of the wheels of passing cars, the combination with a plurality of brake shoes arranged end to end along the rail of a railway track so to engage the side of a passing car wheel, spring pressed means for messing the shoes toward such wheel, the ends of the brake shoes being formed to constitute counterparts of each other of a cha 'acter to con stitute an articulation permitting relative movement other than transverse movement of shoes with respect to each other, whcn two such shoes are placed end to end in cooperative relation.

4. In a car retarder of the type engaging the sides of the wheels of passing'cars, the combination with a plurality of brake shoes arranged end to end along the track so as to engage the side of a passing car wheel, means for connecting the ends of adjoining brake shoes together to permit relative movement about a vertical axis, and two separate spring pressedmeans engaging said shoes at a pre determined distance for each end, this distance being such that the pressure by which any point of said brake shoe is retained against outward movement is substantially the same.

5. In a car retarderof the type engaging the sides 01 the wheels of passing cars, the combination with a plurality of brake shoes arranged end to end along the track so as to engage the side of a passing car wheel, means for connecting the ends of adjoining brake shoes together to permit relative movement about a vertical axis, whereby said shoes form a continuous but flexible braking surface.

A car retarder of the type which includes brake shoes engaging the sides of a passing wheel of a railway car, and which is adapted to assume a plurality of braking positions, a motor foroperating the retarder to any one of a plurality of braking posimeans including a plurality of control circuits and a cut-out device for operating said motor to cause the retarder to assume a position depending upon which one of said control wires is connected to a source of energy, a circuit controller including a movable contact and a plurality of stationary contacts arranged so that said movable contact can contact with any two adjacent stationary contacts, means tending to cause said movable contact to assume a position to contact only with one of said stationary contacts, and a lever yieldably operatively connected to said movable contact. Power operated mechanism for operatmg type in which brake shoes disposed on opposite sides of a railcomprising, a casing having a slot in one wall thereof, a crank pin movable about an axis transverse to said slot, a pitman rod extending through said slot having its end pivoted on said crank pin and a housing pivoted to said casing to form a closure for the opening in said casing surrounding said pitman rod. 8. Power operated mechanism for operating car retarders of the type in which brake .hoes disposed on opposite sides of a railway rai engage the sides of a passing wheel coniprising, a casing having a. slot in one wall thereof, a crank pin movable about an axis transverse to said slot, a pitman rod extending through said slot having its end pivoted on said crank pin, a flange around said slot having some of its walls arranged concentrically with an axis parallel to the axis about which said crank pinmoves, and a housing pivotally secured to said flange about. the axis of the walls of said flange.

9. Power operated mechanism for operating car retarders of the type in. which brake shoes disposed on opposite sides of a railway rail engage the sides of a passing wheel comprising, a casing having a slot in one Wall thereof, a crank pin movable about an axis transverse to said slot, a pitman rod extending through said slot having its end pivoted on said crank pin, a flange around saidslot having some of its walls arranged concentrically with anaxis parallel to the axis about which said crank moves, a housing pivotally secured to said flange about the axisot' the walls of said flange, said housing and flange so as to make a moisture-tight fit between said housing, and flange.

10. Power operated mechanism for operating car retarders of the type in which brake shoes disposed on opposite sidesof a railway engage the sides of a passing wheel comprising, a casing having a slot in one wall thereof, a crankpin movable about an axis transverse to said slot, a pitman rod extending through said slot having its endpivoted on said crank pin, a housingpivoted to said casing forming a closure for the opening surrounding said pitman rod, a journal pivoted about an axis parallel to the axis about which said crank pin moves arranged in the free end of said housing and having an opening cross-wise therethrough of a diameter to snugly fit the pitman rod which passes through said opening.

11. Power operated mechanism for operating car retarders of the type in which brake shoes disposed on opposite sides of a:rail-. way rail engage the sides of a passing wheel comprising, thereof, a crank pin movable about an axis transverse to said slot, a pitman rod extend ing through said slot having its end pivoted on said crank pin, a flange around saidislot having some of its walls arranged concentrically with an axis parallel to the axis about which said crank pin moves, ahousing pivotally secured to said flange about the axis of the walls of said'flange, a journal pivotally secured in the free end of said housing on an axis parallel to the axis about which said crank pin moves, said journal having a hole cross-wise therethrough forming a tight-fitting closure through which the pitman rod extends and reciprocates.

12. A car retarder of the type which frictionally engages the sides of passing car" two parallelly arranged girder beams passing below a rail of a railwheels comprising,

way track but having their ends resting above theties on which such rail rests, brake. shoes on opposite sides of the rails,

and a gasket between a casing having a slotin one wall.

a lug proj ecting upfromeach of said beams operativelycony nected to one of said brake shoes, and a single angle lever connected to both of said beams in a manner to cause the beams to move in opposite directions as the angle lever is moved about its pivot.

13. A car retarder of the type which frictionally engages the sides of passing car wheels comprising, two parallelly arranged girder beams passing below a rail of a railway track but having their ends resting above the ties on which such rail rests, brake shoes on opposite sides of the rails, a lug projecting up from each of said beams operatively connected to one of said brake shoes, and means for moving said beams in opposite directions, said girder beams being of identical construction so as to facilitate interchangeability of parts.

14. In a car retarder in which brake shoes engage the wheel sides of a passing car, the combination with brake shoes arranged on opposite sides of a railway rail, members for moving said brake shoes toward each other acting on said shoes through the medium of a plurality of intervening springs, power operated means for moving said members toward or away from said rail, a cut-out device, a lever having a plurality of positions connected in a circuit arrangement whereby said members are moved by said power operated means until they assume a position corresponding to that of the lever after which said cut-out device stops said power operated means.

15. In a car retarder in which brake shoes engage the wheel sides of a passing car, the combination with brake shoes arranged on opposite sides of a railway rail, members for moving said brake shoes toward each other acting on said shoes through the a plurality of intervening springs, power operated means for moving said members toward or away from said rail, a cut-out device, a lever having a plurality of active positions connected in a circuit arrangement including said cut-out device, whereby said members are moved by said power operated means until they assume a position corresponding to that oi": the lever after which said cut-out device stops the power operated means, and separate means associated with said lever which if operated increases the rapidity of operation of said power operated means.

16. A car retarder of the type engaging the sides of passing car wheels for railroads comprising, a plurality of parallelly arranged pairs of girder beams, brake shoes arranged transversely to said girder beams and on opposite sides of a track rail. means for connecting one beam of each pair to a brake shoe on one side of such rail and the other beam of such pair to a brake shoe on the other side of said rail, a double angle lever for each pair of girder beams so connected to such beams that operation of said double angle lever operates one side of such rail and medium of said girder beams in opposite directions, and means for operating said double angle levers simultaneously.

17. A car retarder of the type engaging the sides of passing car wheels for railroads comprising, a plurality of parallelly arranged pairs of girder beams, brake shoes arranged transversely to said girder beams and on opposite sides of a track rail, means for connecting one beam of each pair to a brake shoe on one side of such rail and the other beam of such pair to a brake shoe on the other side of said rail, a double angle lever for each pair of girder beams so connected to such beams that operation of said double angle lever operates said girder beams in opposite directions, and a power operated gear having a crank pin associated therewith, said crank pin being operatively connected to said double angle levers.

18. A car retarder of the type engaging the sides of passing car wheels for railroads comprising, a plurality of parallelly arranged pairs of girder beams, brake shoes arranged transversely to said girder beams and on opposite sides of a track rail, means for connecting one beam of each pair to a brake shoe on the other beam of such pair to a brake shoe on the other side of said rail, a double angle lever for each pair of girder beams so connected to such beams that operation of said double angle lever operates said girder beams in opposite directions, and power operated mechanism including a chain of reduction gears driven by a motor, one gear of which has a crank pin associated therewith, said crank pin being operatively connected to said double angle levers.

19. A carretarder comprising, a plurality of braking elements arranged end to end on opposite sides of a track rail, means acting at two points on each of said elements yieldingly pressing said elements toward the rail, said elements having their ends connected to the ends of adjacent elements to constitute joints, permitting relative movement about such joints but not relative movement transverse to the track rail, and power operated means for varying the pressure exerted by said first mentioned means.

20. A car retarder of the type engaging the'sides of passing car wheels for railroads compr1sing,a plurality of parallclly arranged pairs of girder beams, brake shoes arranged transversely to said girder beams and on op posite sides of a track rail, means for connecting one beam of each pair to a brake shoe on one side of such rail and the other beam of such pair to a brake shoe on the other side of said rail, a double angle lever for each pair of girder beams so connected to such beams that operation of said double angle lever operates said girder beams in opposite directions, and power operated mechanlsm lncluding a chain of reduction gears ltii) driven: by motor, one gear ofwhich has a crank: pin; associated therewith, said crank pin being operatively connected'to said double angle levers in a manner so that force exerted on said angle :levers per unit torque delivered by said motor increases as the brake shoes get closer together.

21. A car retarder according to claim 20 in which'the contactors are operated by cams each capable ofoperating-its corresponding contactor to three different positions, a shaft driven by said power operated means carrying said cams, and means for adjusting the angular relation between a cam and said shaft; 7

22. Acar retarder of the typewhich frictionally engages the sides of passing car wheels comprising, two parallelly arranged girder beams of identical and interchangeable construction passing below a rail of a railway track but-having their ends-resting above the ties on which such rail rests for each rail of such railway track, brake shoes on opposite sides of the rails, a lug projecting up from each of said beams operatively connected to'one of said brake shoes, a single angle lever connected to bothof said beams in a manner to cause the beams to move in opposite directions as the angle lever is moved about its pivot, and means for connecting the girder beam of one rail to the girder beam for theadjacent rail, whereby car retarding means may be applied'toany numberof parallel track rails.

23. In a cariretarder, the combination with a railway track comprising rails supported on ties, guideblocks secured to said ties adacent a rail and havlng guide slotsarranged transverse to said rails and termlnating 1n hooks, shoe beams arranged parallel to such rail Ihaving hook shaped lugs-engaging the hooks of said guide blocks, and brake shoes carried by said shoe'beams, whereby saidshoe beams are permitted to slide transversely to said rails but cannot be moved up or down or be rolled.

24, A car retarder of the type which fri'c' tionally' engages the sides of passing car wheels comprising, two parallelly arranged girder beams of identical and interchangeableconstruction passing below a rail of a railway track but having their ends resting above the ties on which such rail'rests for each rail of such railway track, brake shoes on opposite sides of the rails, a lug projecting up from each of said beams operatively connected to one of'said brake shoes, and a single angle lever connected to bothof said beams in a manner to cause the beams to move in opposite directions as the angle lever is moved about its pivot, whereby car retarding means maybe applied to a single track rail.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WINTHROP Known. c I 

